A&M International Students Explore Future
with HACU Internships

When Patricia Ramírez, a senior sociology major at Texas
A&M International University, received news of her selection
for a prestigious summer internship in Washington, D.C., she
worried not so much about the trip but about who would pay the
monthly bills at home.

Ramírez, one of six A&M International students chosen by
the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) to
participate in various government internships throughout the
United States this summer, said the thought of leaving her
husband alone to do the household chores worried her at first.

"I'm the one who sends our bill payments every month and
now I've asked myself, 'who is going to do it while I'm gone?'
" Ramírez said.

But Ramírez said she decided to take advantage of her
internship opportunity at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Administration branch of the Department of Health and Human
Services because her husband encouraged her to do so.

"I am excited and nervous," Ramírez said of her
internship. "I have always been interested in working for a
non-profit agency. I hope to gain experience and that this
internship will lead to a future position in government,"
Ramírez said.

While Ramírez will help her host agency write grants, the
rest of the A&M International students participating in the
HACU Internship will also perform challenging tasks throughout
the country. They include David Uribe, assigned to the Department
of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C.; Dinorah
Sepulveda, the Department of Defense, Virginia; Janie Opperman,
Department of Veteran Affairs, Nevada; and Maribel Mata,
Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. A sixth student was
chosen but decided not to participate.

Virginia García, director of Career Services, said the HACU
Summer Internship seeks to match students and their skills to
internship opportunities in federal agencies and large
corporations.

"A&M International is proud to have had six
applicants apply and all six be offered an internship," she
said, "A 100 percent acceptance rate in this competition is
rare," García said.

Applications for the Fall 2001 HACU National Internship
competition are still available at A&M International's Career
Services or on the Internet at http://www.hacu.net, García said.